Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-06-23

now glanced Tor approval OF MS Sentl-
ments from Mr.. Gilkey to the stranger.
and the latter seemed encouraged to
venture a remark.
..What particular style of man do
you want for pastor?" he inquired.
Eve want first-class man." said
Mr.. Ames, with the air OF reciting a
well-learned lesson. 'Some one who
can hold his own with the other minis
tiers in the place. Now, you see"-be-
coming CONFIDENTIAL there's certain
set in our church that are strong on
doctrine, and another class that don't
care any thing about it, and won't hear
it preached! They mostly don't belong
to the church, but they come regularly
and rent our best pews, and we feel
bound to consider their feelings But
it takes man with some tact to get
along with these things and not offend
any one"
Indeed it must" said the stranger.
And Mrs. Gilkey said in further illus
tration of the point: "Why, we can
never keep man more than six months
without one set or the other getting
down on him. He's sure to be in hot
water somewhere. Oh, deari why didn't
you catch that?"
This last exclamation was not adj
dressed to the stranger, but to Mr.. Gil
key. For, in the excitement of the dis
cussion, the lady had loosened her hold
upon the bandbox, and a sudden jolt of
the cars had precipitated it into the
aisle With the aid of fellow-passen-
ger and cane Mr.. Gilkey fshed up
the precious parcel and by the time this
feat was accomplished the train was
moving slowly into the Brandon sta
ton.
Mr. Ames shook hands with the
stranger at parting, and said he was
glad to have met him; after which
ceremony the travellers repaired to
their several destinations. Mrs. Gilkey
with vague forebodings lest the fall
should have resulted disastrously to the
contents of the bandbox; Mr.. Ames
with placid satisfaction with himself
and the world at large, and the
stranger-but as he is stranger we
can not guess with any accuracy what
his thoughts and feelings were.
The church was filled that Sabbath
morning, and an agreeable fiutter of
expectation pervaded the well-dressed
congregation. Their faces wore that
wide-awake, alert expression of per-
sons who expect to be entertained.
Mr.. Ames felt very tranquil in spirit,
as he leisurely assembled the church
steps, just in time for the opening an
them. AS he leaned back in his seat
and glanced over the crowded house.
he said to himself that he, for one, was
glad they were going to have steady
pastor, and he was going to do his best
to encourage him. He'd get intro
duced after service and invite him up
to dinner tomorrow. He nudged his
wife and confided to her this resolve.
and she said twas 'just the thing"
He craned his neck around to get a
sight of the new man, but the desk
completely hid him from view, as he
sat in the large pulpit chair, resting
his head on one shapely hand.
With the last notes of the anthem,
Mrs. Gilkey sailed down the aisle in all
the glory of her new bonnet, while the
husband followed at respectful dis
lance behind the swaying plumes and
spreading brim. Mrs. Ames whispered
to her husband that 'twould be just
like the Gilkeys to try to get in ahead
with the minister, that woman was $50
pushing" He must remember and
speak to the minister right after church.
The choir sat down with a futter
rr;c ;of
Then the preacher advanced to the
desk and announced the hymn. AS
the mellow tones of his voice
foated out over their heads the
waiting congregation smiled gracious
approval. But what was it made Mr..
Ames start so violently at the first
words of the reader, stare hard at the
desk and sink back into his seat with
an expression of blank dismayp Mr..
Gilkey observed it from where he sat
and wondered what it meant. One
look at the minister told the story
He was the stranger who had shared
Mr.. Ames' seat in the cars the night
before!
The subsequent proceedings were
fraught with painful interest for at
least two of that audience. Mrs. Ames
whispered to her husband that she no.
ticed that Mrs. DR.. Holmes wore a new
sealskin, but he needed her not. and
when the congregation rose to sing, he
kept his seat, despite that lady's re-
proving look. He stole furtive glance
at Mr.. Gllkey to see how he bore it.
That gentleman, after some discussion
with his wife. arose, and held the book
for her during the hymn. but he hung
his head and looked crushed in spirit.
Mrs. Gilkey, on the contrary. carried
her head and the new bonnet with con-
scfous dignity and sang like robin.
10 MIR. Ames' excited Imagination